Monday, 1 December 2014

1) Use the photos to write a 500-word story; both
photos must be a feature in the brief story you create. We aren't counting, but
for the fairness of the readers please, no 1000+ word entries.

2) The photos must be visible in your blog post.

3) Photos are the property of the hostess for the
week, unless otherwise mentioned. Please do not share photos as your own.

4) In order to honour the community-purpose of the
blog hop, we ask that you please reference the blog hop in your post (you can
even display the Writer Wednesday Blog Hop badge if you desire) so your blog
audience and the blog hop community may all be connected.

5) WHERE TO SEND YOUR STORY HAS CHANGED, JUST FOR
THIS WEEK. I AM NOT ABLE TO GET THE CODE FOR THE BLUE FROGGY, SO PLEASE JUST
SHOOT ME AN EMAIL TO: stantonsunshine@gmail.net WITH YOUR NAME, NAME OF YOUR
BLOG, AND YOUR STORY, AND I WILL GET IT TO THE OTHER HOSTESSES NEXT WEEK. THANK
YOU!

If you
have any questions or need any help don't hesitate to contact one of the hop
hosts: Tena, Debb, or Heather (our
fourth host Leanne is on a sabbatical due to health concerns and we ask that
you continue to keep her in your prayers for complete recovery and return to
full health).

DO NOT USE THE BLUE FROGGY THIS WEEK BUT INSTEAD SEND YOUR NAME, NAME OF
YOUR BLOG, AND YOUR STORY TO stantonsunshine@gmail.net.

Our host this week has chosen two pictures to craft a story around and she says:

the first picture o is pretty traditional for this time
of year, but your story does not have to be about the holiday of Thanksgiving.

The picture on the bottom was chosen for its uniqueness (and out of my curiosity
to see how you blend the themes of the two pictures).

HERE IS MY CONTRIBUTION:

FAMILY TIMES

“Do you remember the time when we didn’t have family?”Mary looked at her husband of 35 years and
smiled as he sighed.

“Oh yes, wasn’t it lovely?”

Mary playfully jabbed Harold with elbow, ‘don’t be so
curmudgeonly,’ she admonished.“You know
you love your kids and grandkids.”

“In small doses,” came his stoic reply.

Mary walked into the living room and retrieved the photo
album from the cupboard under the stairs.She rifled through the pages until she came across the image she was
looking for.

“There it is.I knew
I remembered that cold, cold time when we were first married and went on that
trip.”

Harold peered over her shoulder, squinting to bring the
image in to focus.

“Do put your glasses on.They’re in your pocket.”Mary was
fed up with Harold refusing to acknowledge the passage of time although both
their hair had turned white or silver or ‘distinguished looking’ as Harold like
to describe himself.She knew he was
just thankful he still had a full head of hair.

Mary and Harold reminisced about that trip they had taken;
it was so cold that the rungs on the steps to the water had frozen solid.It looked quite picturesque but wasn’t very
conducive to taking a dip in the frozen water.

Dashing back into the kitchen Mary surveyed the preparations
for the roast dinner she was preparing for their family, daughter, Monica, her
husband, Ray and the two adorable grandchildren, Sonny and Millie.All the female names in the family began with
the letter M, a tradition Mary hoped these grandchildren would carry on.

It had begun a few generations back when her
great-grandmother, Maureen came over to the States with her new husband from
Ireland to have a better life.Maureen
and Patrick started the tradition which had carried on to this day.

Harold took the turkey out of the oven for her to allow it
to rest for the required period. Mary was cross that her hands were getting
arthritic and painful and couldn't take a full roast out of the oven any more
but there were still lots of activities that she could and did enjoy.

There was Tai Chi a couple of times a week,
which she dragged Harold along to, the Italian lessons they were planning to
start learning in the New Year and then babysitting duties in amongst the
normal day-to-day routine of living.

Monica and Ray arrived amid a flurry of activity, kisses and
drinks were poured while Monica went straight to the kitchen to help her
mother.Ray and Harold set the table and
lit the candle.

Once the hot serving
dishes were on the table, tantalising smells coming from each one, and they
were all seated at the table, they joined hands and gave thanks for the meal
they were about to eat.

After the meal Monica spied the photo album.Pointing to the image open on the coffee
table, she said ‘do tell us about this photo.’

Friday, 28 November 2014

This month I’ve read three seasonal
short stories and nine novels, some seasonal as well and unfortunately one book
that I had to give up on having read only a third of it.I’m usually much better at choosing my books
and reading through the blurbs but this one slipped through the net and obviously
wasn't for me.

My actual pick for this month is
a psychological thriller by a British born author who now spends most of her
time living in Cyprus with her husband.I
have read several of this author’s books and enjoyed all of them.

This book is the second of of her ‘Dark
Minds’ series, both stand-alone novels.

Behind a Twisted Smile

Dark Minds Series

By

Faith Mortimer

Approx. 208 pages

Product Description from Amazon:

Behind a
Twisted Smile (A Dark Minds Mystery Suspense Thriller)

What do you do when an ex-lover won’t take “no” for an answer? Moya thinks
Martyn will eventually take the hint – but the rejected lover has no such
intention.

Three weeks later, Moya meets her older sister Evie at a picnic, and learns
that she has recently met the man of her dreams. Only problem is – He’s Moya’s
spurned ex.

Almost at once, Moya finds herself in a long and terrifying ordeal; she has to
deal with an adversary who loves playing sinister mind games.

As the months slip away, the mental battles with Martyn move insidiously
towards physical conflict. A conflict where only one person will step away….
Alive!…

Moya decides she doesn't want to take her relationship with
Martyn any further; it’s only been a few dates so she doesn’t think any harm
will be done to either of them, it’s just not working for her but Martyn
doesn't take rejection lightly.

Martyn is able to charm Moya’s family and friends to the point
where they don't believe her misgivings about him and his manipulative
ways.When Moya tries to warn people
against him she is the one who is ostracised from her friends and family.

Moya begins another relationship, one that is totally
different and more loving than the previous one but her boyfriend has to work
away a lot; she can't talk to him while he is working in the States and she is
in the UK so she tries to manage the situation herself.The police won’t believe her when she goes to
them.

This book will stay in your mind, it is not graphic in detail
but there is enough detail to make it even worse in your mind and more
realistic as you are subtly and cleverly led by the author through the twists
and turns of a sociopath on the loose.

About Me

I’m a woman of a certain age with grown up children who have children of their own.
I was lucky enough to find love a second time and have been happily married to my wonderful Dave for 11years now.
Having had some health issues I appreciate my family more and more each day.